Domaine Jean Marc & Hugues Pavelot
In the early days of my wine buying career, people often overlooked the wines from Savigny. I didn’t have a lot of money, so I had to be very careful and calculated. Now, I must have 8-10 vintages of Domaine Jean Marc & Hugues Pavelot in my own cellar, and we all know Burgundy prices have increased - so I’ve fared fine - but on the value quotient, as I experience the wines years later, I’ve done even better. I’ll be honest, I didn’t recognize how special they were, consequently, I undervalued, undersold and underbought them for myself! There will be a course correction.
I opened a 2005 recently, and thoroughly enjoyed it, although there is no hurry to drink this beauty up, it still has years ahead of it! Those of you that can keep your hands off them for a number of years, will be well rewarded! It's always been a bold, full bodied, rustic style, one that requires some patience.
As the climate changes, the wines have become higher toned with a more fruit forward style; there is more fruit and depth present on the mid palate. Still, it has fantastic structure and plenty of soil driven minerality. Over the years, there have been a number of great vintages, but 2022 will surely be in a category with only a few of the best this domaine has produced.
I’ve been working with Domaine Jean Marc & Hugues Pavelot since the 90’s and when you look at the big picture, they continue to turn out exceptional wines that are well within reach for all Burgundy buyers.
2022 Jean Marc & Hugues Pavelot Savigny Les Beaune 1er Dominode
This is at once the spiciest and the most floral-suffused nose in the range with its ripe yet ultra-fresh nose of various dark berries, anise and newly turned earth scents. The mouthfeel is also intriguing as it combines excellent density with an appealing sleekness that carries over to the mineral-driven, powerful and compact finale that is wonderfully persistent if very clearly built-to-age. This is almost always Pavelot's best wine and it is highly likely to be so in 2022 as well.
- Burghound, 94 Sweet Spot Outstanding!
The 2022 Savigny-lès-Beaune La Dominode ler Cru, one of Jean-Hague Pavelot's favorite cuvées this year, has a generous bouquet of black plum, raspberry, and a touch of pressed white flowers emerging with time. Very well-defined and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly edgier tannins than other Premier Crus - maybe a bit more angular at the moment, yet that lends plenty of tension towards the finish that fans out beautifully.
- Vinous Media, 91-93
2022 Jean Marc & Hugues Pavelot Savigny Les Beaune 1er Gravains
This too is really quite aromatically pretty with its airy if slightly riper and more floral-suffused mix of black raspberry, cherry, poached plum and warm earth that are trimmed in enough oak influence to mention. The super-sleek and almost painfully intense flavors possess fine length on the tautly muscular, firm and austere finish that is like rolling tiny rocks around the mouth. This is first-rate and a wine that should richly reward extended keeping.
- Burghound, 93
The 2022 Savigny-lès-Beaune Aux Gravins ler Cru has an altogether different nose to the Les Lavières: more sultry and backward, yet similarly compelling, tobocco leaf and autumn bonfire scents percolating through the red fruit. The medium-bodied palate has a fluid entry, caressing with pliant, saturated tannins and a keen thread of acidity. The very pure finish has the sapidity to beckon you back for more. Lovely.
- Vinous Media, 92-94
